Nuffic presents a manual for fair recognition of qualifications

The European Area of Recognition project (EAR), which has been steered by ACA’s founding member Nuffic, has recently presented one of the key results of its outstanding work supported by the European Commission, the Council of Europe and UNESCO, namely a practical manual for fair recognition of qualifications. The EAR manual is a new and innovative tool: based on the Lisbon Recognition Convention and its subsidiary texts of qualifications, it incorporates all relevant recommendations, studies and earlier project results on recognition and sets out clear and uniform standards and guidelines on all aspects of the international recognition. Download EAR manual.
The manual consists of sixteen chapters with topics such as substantial differences, qualification frameworks, learning outcomes and accreditation. It includes flow-charts, recommendations, practical examples and useful links. It also contains a schematic outline of the recommended procedure for the assessment of foreign qualifications, a glossary, an overview of relevant publications and sources, and an index. This manual is primarily meant to be a reference tool for recognition offices in Europe. However, it will also have multiple uses beyond that audience, serving as a starting point for policy makers working to review and improve national regulations, as a manual for credential evaluators and as an informative resource for foreign students, higher education institutions and other stakeholders.
As a next step, Nuffic is launching a series of follow-up activities involving the training of networks in using the EAR manual and keeping the manual up to date (EAR2 project). Development and dissemination of a recognition manual for European higher education institutions (the EAR-HEI project) will also take place. Download EAR manual.
Table of Contents
1. Schematic outline of the recommended procedure for the assessment of foreign qualifications
2. Transparency and Information Provision
3. Accreditation and Quality Assurance (status of the institution)
4. Authenticity
5. Purpose of Recognition
6. Diploma Supplement (and other information tools)
7. Qualifications Frameworks
8. Credits, grades, credit accumulation and credit transfer
9. Learning Outcomes
10. Substantial Differences
11. Alternative recognition and the right to appeal
12. Refugees
13. Non-Traditional Learning
Sub Topic – Flexible Learning Paths
Subtopic – Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Sub topic - Open/Distance learning
14. Transnational education
15. Qualifications awarded by joint programmes
16. Non-Recognised but Legitimate Institutions
17. Diploma and Accreditation Mills
18. Overview of publications and recommendations used in the manual
8. Credits, grades, credit accumulation and credit transfer
INTRODUCTION
Credits
Credits measure workload. They quantitatively describe learning achievements and are awarded to the learner upon successful completion of a given unit of a study programme and/or a complete programme. Credits do not normally take the level of performance into consideration unless otherwise specified. Credits are used to quantify learning in terms of learning outcomes, relating to the workload of learning involved to reach a particular learning outcome.
Different credit systems exists across various sectors and levels of education worldwide. A credit system may be limited to a single institution, to a specific national context or may be applied across different national education systems, such as the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS).
Credit Accumulation
Credit accumulation is the term used to describe the process of collecting credits allocated to the learning achievements of units within a programme. Upon the successful accumulation of a specified amount of credits in required subjects, a learner may be entitled to be awarded the final qualification or to gain access to the final examinations leading to a qualification. The process of credit accumulation is determined by the credit system in which it operates and often allows for a flexible learning path. The process of credit accumulation may differ across different credit systems.
Credit Transfer
While credit accumulation refers to the collection of credits within one credit system, credit transfer refers to the process of transferring credits gained in one credit system or institution to another credit system or institution with the same goal of achieving a given amount of credits in order to receive a specific qualification. Thus, credit transfer may facilitate the recognition of prior learning and can be a fundamental tool when it comes to lifelong learning and mobility. Successful credit transfer across educational systems can be achieved
through agreements between different awarding bodies and/or education providers. Credit frameworks can help facilitate mutual recognition of measurable learning. This can encourage further learning, allowing students to transfer between or within institutions without interruption of their studies and to maintain a clear record of achievements and credit transcripts.
A number of credit systems are available designed to facilitate and incorporate credit transfer across different education systems, such as ECTS for higher education and the European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) for vocational education in Europe. One of the key benefits of using a common or similar credit framework is that they can ease a student’s entry into the international education arena and enhance mobility.
Progressive qualification frameworks focus on credits being assigned to a specific qualification level and allow for flexible learning paths by facilitating both credit accumulation and transfer at a national level.
Grades
Grades describe the quality of learning achievements and rate the student’s performance at a particular level. A grading system usually includes a range of numbers, letters or descriptors indicating a level of achievement such as fail, pass or merit. Grading systems and marking criteria vary among different education systems and often between different levels of education. Grades can be awarded based on internal (institutional) assessment or external examination, or both. The very nature of grading systems and grading cultures makes it difficult if not impossible to accurately convert grades from one system to another.
RECOMMENDATION
Credits
It is recommended that credits be taken into consideration in the process of credential evaluation. Credits provide an indication of the amount of study already completed, often reflect a learning path and are thus a useful tool to provide recognition of prior learning. They are also fundamental to the recognition of periods of study which, like completed qualifications, should be given fair consideration. It is important to assess the same qualification at the same level each time notwithstanding a difference in grades or a difference (lower number) in credits which could be due to recognition of Prior Learning by the awarding institution.
Credential evaluators should take into account:
• The credit system presented; what does it reflect?
o learning outcomes,
o workload or
o both learning outcomes and workload?
• Who is responsible for the assigning of credits and what quality control measures are in place to ensure consistency? For instance, are the credit-allocation procedures validated and reviewed by an external body?
• Do the credits form part of a larger credit transfer system? If so, what are the processes of credit transfer within that system?
• At what level have the credits been achieved?
o Is there a difference between credits at one level (Bachelor’s) and another level (Master’s)?
o What influence should this have on assessing the final level of learning outcome?
Based on the information gained from the considerations above, it should be possible to form a decision on the recognition of prior learning depending on how the credits link into the system to which access is being sought.
Grades
Depending on the specific educational system in question, grades may or may not have a direct impact on the assessment of a given qualification. When considering grades obtained in a foreign system, it is recommended to:
• consider grades in the context of the education system in which a qualification or learning has been achieved;
• keep in mind that both grading criteria and distribution can vary to a great extent and that the comparison of grades from different grading systems can be problematic.
It may, therefore, be wise to use grades merely as an indicator of a student’s academic performance in general and not as a numerical tool that is easily translatable into one’s own grading system.
Download EAR manual.